Private school class sizes

[schoolmum101]

For various reasons we decided to opt for private education and have generally been happy with the level of education provided and the kids have been really happy. However, going back this year and in gcse year the class size seems a fair bit bigger than it's been in the past. I get that schools are suffering with increased costs like the rest of us and maybe this is one way of keeping fee increases modest, but one of the deciding factors for parents when choosing to go private is the smaller class size. I wouldn't have chosen to pay for this school if I'd known the class sizes would be bigger at GCSEs. Now we're basically locked in as it will be too disruptive to look elsewhere. Just wondering if anyone has noticed similar?

I have taught in the state and private systems. I was educated privately and choose to send my children to private school.

I think 26 is too large a class.

It's not just about teaching the syllabus, it's having the time to go beyond it or even into random interesting discussions.

Also with a smaller class, each student will get the chance to contribute more often. Finally, but importantly, there is the marking issue. If it's a smaller group the teacher has more time to spend looking at each student's work and giving really detailed feedback.

I've taught in a few private schools (and this was pre pandemic and rising costs) and they all had class sizes of between 22 and 26.
The idea that private secondary independents have tiny classes is a myth. A few big name ones might but most don't.

@dipdips there's always been a bigger training budget in the private schools in which I've worked.

I wouldn't say teaching is worse either. There's rigourous performance management everywhere these days!

I would say that is rare these days - and going to become more rare as schools divert budgets towards heating and general costs and away from stellar training.

Also 26 in the OP is for gcse classes. This might just be for maths and English and I would expect Dc to be in sets. 26 in a set full of bright DC is surely not an issue? Most grammars would have this and produce stellar results.

@TizerorFizz I suppose it depends what set the OP's child is in!

The last private school I taught at had 32 in my middle set science class. I didn't actually have enough tables and chairs for them to all fit in my lab. Was very hard to teach them effectively.

@dipdips
Yes. I think it does. Hence my comments that DC rarely fit a neat ability band. Some schools have much smaller bottom set for example. 26 very bright DC would not worry me. 26 needing lots of help wouldn’t be great. 32 in science labs is common in many grammars.

Teachers in private schools (with the exception of independent special schools) also don't have funded access to the new NPQs for middle and senior career development.

@ZoyaTheDestroyer and increasingly they don’t have decent pensions so the top newcomers are favouring state schools